The present invention relates to a molding for use with an automobile, and more particularly, the invention relates to a molding which comprises a molding body and a weir member partly provided on the molding body.
FIGS. 16 to 18 show a conventional molding 310 for use with an automobile. The molding 310 generally comprises a molding body 311 and a pair of weir members 321. The molding body 311 has a leg portion 312 to be installed into a clearance between a circumferential edge of a windshield 305 and an automobile body 301, and a covering portion 341 which comprises an outer covering portion 314 contactable with the automobile body 301 and an inner covering portion 313 contactable with the windshield 305. Each of the weir members 321 is provided on the lower surface of the inner covering portion 313 of the molding body 311 so as to extend along each of front pillars 303 of the automobile body 1.
As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the molding 310 is installed in the clearance between the circumferential edge of the windshield 305 and the automobile body 301. At the molding body 311 adjacent to a roof panel 302 of the automobile body 301, the inner covering portion 313 is closely seated on the outside surface of the windshield 305 (FIG. 17). At the molding body 311 adjacent to the front pillar 303, the weir member 321 is closely seated on the outside surface of the windshield 305, thereby to form a guide groove 322 between the outside surface of the windshield 305 and the inner covering portion 313 (FIG. 18). The guide groove 322 may act as a leading groove to lead rainwater or the like therealong and to prevent flowing of the rainwater over the molding body 311 toward a front door glass.
A problem usually associated with the prior art molding is that as best shown in FIG. 16, the weir member 321 is arranged along the front pillar 303 but not arranged along an arcuate portion c of the automobile body 301 which interconnects the roof panel 2 and the front pillar 3. Therefore, the guide groove 322 is not formed along the arcuate portion c. This may lead to flow of a part of rainwater over the molding body 311 adjacent to the arcuate portion c toward the front door glass.
Another problem usually associated with the prior art molding 310 is that the weir member 321 is supported on the molding body 311 only by fitting into a groove G formed between the inner covering portion 313 and a lip member 315. This may lead to sliding motion of the weir member 321, thereby causing difficulty of accurate positioning of the weir member 321 on the molding body 311 when the molding 310 is installed to the automobile body 301.
The other prior art molding for use with an automobile are found, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1-223018.